Mon Feb 24 11:32:49 UTC 2025: ## Thackeray Cousins Reunite Amidst Speculation of Political Reconciliation
**Mumbai, India –** Raj Thackeray, chief of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), and his cousin Uddhav Thackeray, head of the Shiv Sena (UBT), met publicly at a wedding in Mumbai on Sunday, sparking renewed speculation of a potential political alliance. The meeting, the third between the cousins in the past two months, occurred at the wedding of a government official’s son in Andheri. Uddhav Thackeray’s wife, Rashmi Thackeray, was also present.
The unexpected reunion comes amidst growing political uncertainty in Maharashtra, with rumors of internal rifts within both the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalitions. Political analysts suggest the meeting may signal a thawing of relations between the MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) in anticipation of upcoming civic elections, including the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls. While the election schedule remains unannounced, the possibility of a joint strategy is being widely discussed.
The two cousins have been politically estranged since Raj Thackeray’s departure from the Shiv Sena in 2005, following which he established the MNS. The MNS failed to win any seats in the last state assembly elections, while the Shiv Sena (UBT) secured 20. The recent rapprochement between the cousins raises questions about the future political landscape of Maharashtra.
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